The Taoiseach appreciates challenging and informed questions from this side of the House. I appreciate the recent rise in Garda numbers - 168 new gardaí last week were attested last week - and the work of the current and former Ministers for justice on this issue. Blanchardstown got six new gardaí last week, our largest allocation in this Dáil term, but we need more. In the K district, which is my constituency plus Finglas, we have roughly garda per 529 people. This compares, despite our higher levels of recorded crime, with one per 394 people in a neighbouring district. Last year, Pearse Street recorded more than 11,000 crimes while Blanchardstown recorded more than 7,000. They are both really busy stations. In this Dáil term, the entire K district has been allocated just 31 new gardaí. The Dublin Bay South constituency has been allocated 103. I realise that the latter has higher levels of crime, but it does not have two thirds more. I ask that the Taoiseach continue his work with the Minister for justice to ensure that all constituencies, not just mine, have adequate resources.

Sentiment score: 0.11